


Last service station for 30 miles

by UrsaeMinoris



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: (and they’re over 18 but in the usa you need to be 21 as far as I know…), (or at least they try lol), A bit of swearing, Angst, Bullying, Canon Compliant, Character Study, Gen, Keith (Voltron)-centric, POV Keith (Voltron), Pre-Canon, Slice of Life, Underage Drinking, probably unrealistic depiction of a usa gas station lol, smoking (e-cigarette)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-02
Updated: 2018-07-02
Packaged: 2019-06-01 09:58:42
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,628
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15140648
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/UrsaeMinoris/pseuds/UrsaeMinoris
Summary: After having been expelled from the Galaxy Garrison, Keith found a job at a small gas station in the middle of nowhere. It’s usually a pretty calm job. But not today.–One of the cadets, lanky and nonchalant, his sun-burnt skin covered in freckles, grabbed a pack of six beer bottles, while the two others came to the register. The blond, broad-shouldered one, Keith was pretty sure had been in the same pilot track as him, but he couldn't recall his name. He leaned against the counter with a handsome smile and payed for the gas. The third one, shorter than the two others but rather bulky, cheered when he saw his friend come with the beer pack.Keith cringed. "I will need ID for this."





	Last service station for 30 miles

**Author's Note:**

> This was done for desertkeithweek, on the prompt provisions.  
> As usual, fair warning that English is not my first language and that I don’t have a beta reader ! Also, I don’t live in the USA so sorry for any inaccuracies. I admit I also knowingly took a few liberties, considering that Voltron’s reality is a bit different from ours.  
> Feel free to comment here or on tumblr (https://ursae-minoris-world.tumblr.com/ : [Last service station for 30 miles](https://ursae-minoris-world.tumblr.com/post/175477881128/last-service-station-for-30-miles)), I love feedback !

It was 4:45 pm, near the end of Keith's shift at the gas station's store. Country music from the local radio was playing, but the sound was mostly covered by the humming of the air conditioner’s desperate efforts to lessen the suffocating heat. Keith was standing behind the register and had grabbed paper and a pen and started to make a list of supplies he'd take home.

He needed a new gas cartridge for his portable stove, some food (chicken soup, canned creamed corn, and instant noodles would do), water, toothpaste, a new notebook...

For a gas station store, they were well-stocked. It was, after all, one of the only shops in the area before the city, 30 miles from there. So, it had a good influx of local clients, as well as truckers, tourists, and hikers. The store sold all kinds of non perishable foods (snacks but also canned goods, rice...), various household essentials, as well as sunscreen and hats, road maps, tasteless plushies and souvenirs, magazines and the local newspaper.

The job was practical for Keith both because it was not too far from where he lived, and because he could refuel his hoverbike and get supplies there. There was a garage too, and Keith was allowed to use the tools when his hoverbike needed some repairs - and in the desert, without any decent shelter to protect if from the sand, it happened more often than not.

 

He had seen a handwritten sign in the window one day when he came for fuel, had asked about it while paying, and Meg, the owner, a plump native woman in her fifties, had hired him without questioning. He took care of the shop, while she worked at the garage or helped clients get fuel. This had proved a good arrangement so far. Meg seemed satisfied with his work and was always helpful when he had questions about the area ; she had helped him with his project quite a lot, while never wanting to know why he was so inquisitive. It didn't pay much, but Keith didn't need much either. The shack, he had inherited, so there was no rent issue.

 

Keith was about to get what he needed from the shop in order to pay for it and put it aside before closing, when the door opened and three young men entered. They were wearing cadet uniforms from the Garrison. Probably on permission for the week-end. Keith tensed. It was not the first time he had clients from the Garrison, as it was pretty close. Most of the time, the transaction went without anything remarkable, but it had happened that someone recognized him, and even when they had just greeted him by name, he had hated it.

 

One of the cadets, lanky and nonchalant, his sun-burnt skin covered in freckles, grabbed a pack of six beer bottles, while the two others came to the register. The blond, broad-shouldered one, Keith was pretty sure had been in the same pilot track as him, but he couldn't recall his name. He leaned against the counter with a handsome smile and payed for the gas. The third one, shorter than the two others but rather bulky, cheered when he saw his friend come with the beer pack.

 

Keith cringed. "I will need ID for this."

They all looked at him, irked.

"Come on man, of course we're of age !" said the blond one. "Aren't we, Austin ?"

"Sure thing, Ian !" laughed the redhead.

Ian. Now Keith remembered. The guy had definitely been from the pilot track, a class under his. He was well known for being pretty good at flying. He was also definitely under twenty-one.

And he was squinting at Keith in a way that was starting to make him feel really ill at ease.

 

"ID, please" repeated Keith tersely.

The shorter guy chimed in " Come on man, it's just beer. I bet you drink some too."

Actually, Keith had. As he registered his purchases himself, he had bought some secretly while Megan wasn't in the store. She hadn't said anything the first time. When he had done it again the next month, she must have noticed something, but had just scowled at him disapprovingly the next morning. The third time she had cornered him and said "I know what you're doing. Try that again and you're fired". He had never dared it after that.

 

"We've just left our papers home, man", insisted Austin, as Keith didn't answer.

"Can't sell it to you then" replied Keith. "Sorry.", he added, to soften the blow. He couldn't take any risk ; if the police somehow caught them -worse, if they were driving drunk... They might find out they purchased the beer here, and Megan would be in trouble.

"Oh COME ON !" exclaimed the third guy, throwing his arms up in frustration.

But Ian suddenly straightened up : " You're that guy ! Keith Kogane. You were a fighter pilot !"

Keith sighed, closing briefly his eyes to recollect himself. He tried to keep his voice neutral when he repeated "I'm sorry, without ID I can't sell that to you."

 

Ian smirked.

"Yeah, sure, you feel powerful right now ? With your shitty job, you think you're cool because you can refuse us our beer ?"

Keith took a deep breath. He was about to repeat as calmly as possible that he couldn't sell it without having proof of their age, but the smaller one exclaimed :

"Oh shit, he's the dude that got expelled, right ?! The one they kept praising until he lost his damn mind ?!"

"That's right Miguel." laughed Ian. "They were always holding him up as an example. Keith Kogane this, Keith Kogane that... Now they quote him as a failure."

He added, looking Keith directly in the eyes : "You sell us that beer, and we don't tell your employer why you got booted out."

 

Keith couldn't answer. His jaw was locked and his hands closed in fists on the counter, as he was struggling to keep his calm. _Patience yields focus._

Miguel ripped a display from the counter and it fell down with a thud that caused Keith to flinch ; all the chewing gum packs it contained scattered on the ground. "Hey ! We're talking to you !"

Austin laughed. "He's just an idiot, Miguel, ignore him. Let's just grab that beer and walk out."

Ian smiled. "Yeah that's right. And they were making such a big case of him at the Garrison. When you can't keep your head cool, you can't be a pilot, that's it. Just like that looser, Shirogane. As soon as he was in space he couldn't think straight and got his whole crew killed."

"NO, HE DIDN'T !!!" Before he had even realized it, Keith was coming out from behind the counter. His vision was darkening around the edges and the blood was pounding in his ears.

 

"KEITH !"

That was Megan's voice, and somehow it stopped him right in his tracks.

"What is going on here ?!"

"Your employee is yelling at us, ma'am." replied Miguel.

" He was about to hit us !" added Austin.

Keith ducked his head, still panting, desperately trying to calm down.

"You shouldn't trust him, he's dangerous", added Ian in a deceptively soft voice. "You know, he once punched an officer so hard that he damaged his eye permanently. You wouldn't want to employ someone unstable like that, who might attack you or your clients. "

 

This was followed by a short silence. "That's it," thought Keith, his eyes locked on his feet. "I've lost my only source of income."

"Keith, have they paid for the gas ?" asked Megan.

"Yes," he rasped. "But not for the beer."

"Good. You put that beer back and _you get the hell out of my shop !"_

There were grunts, and a loud crash as Austin threw the beer pack to the ground. One of the bottles smashed, and beer started leaking on the linoleum, soaking some of the chewing gum packs. Then the clang of the door as they left.

 

"I... I'm sorry. I'll pay for that." muttered Keith.

"No."

Meg's tone caused Keith to finally look up. He had never seen her so furious.

"You just clean up that mess. I'll wait outside."

 

When Keith was done, he hesitated, but still bought the supplies he had listed. He needed the food and water at the very least. He found Meg waiting outside by the door, smoking an electronic cigarette, pensively looking towards the horizon.

" I had to throw away five gum packs." It was the only thing he found to say.

"Ok". She still seemed lost in her thoughts.

He had to ask.

"Am I fired ?"

That caused her to turn and make eye contact. "What ? No."

She waited for her cigarette to turn off and put it back in her overall’s pocket.

"But Keith, you can't blow up like that. Next time someone gives you trouble, you call me. There's a phone on the counter and I've got mine with me at the garage. I'm just a few feet away. Understood ?"

Keith nodded. "Yeah."

He hesitated, but added. "It's true. What they said. I hurt that man."

She shrugged.

"Whatever. I don't care about your past. You're doing a good job here. Just keep yourself out of trouble, from now on."

He nodded again.

She frowned. “ Are you all right ?”

Something in her concerned expression reminded him of Shiro, and it felt like a punch in the gut. He had to look away, blinking back tears.

“Yeah. I… I have to go.”

“See you tomorrow, then.”

“Yeah.” His throat was still tight, so he couldn't add much, even less look at her. He charged the supplies in his hoverbike and pulled the throttle. He couldn’t wait to be back in the quietness of his shack.

**Author's Note:**

> I wasn't sure how to rate this or tag this.  
> I rated teen and up because of the alcohol and smoking, and the little bit of cursing, although I'm not sure if it was needed.  
> As for tagging I hesitated a lot to put in a "emotional hurt / comfort" tag, but I wasn't sure if it fit ; there is an element of comfort and reassurance in the end, but it's not very... fluffy ? And there's a bit of wistfulness at the end ? How did you perceive it ? How would you tag it ? (maybe the tags I put were enough ?)


End file.
